Titanic: Anne Hockley's Journey
by C.M. Singer
Summary: Anne Hockley boards the Titanic with her cousin Cal, and his fiancee' Rose Dewitt Bukater. Will Anne also find love? Can she help Rose realize who her soulmate is? Does she survive? Read and find out! (Story is better than it sounds) Rated T to be safe. Please R/R!
1. Chapter 1

**A:N/ Hi Everyone! I know that I am currently writing another story (Back to Titanic. Which another chapter will be posted soon) but I saw the movie a couple of days ago, and just had to write this! The wording may be slightly different than the movie. And who knows! I may even change the plot a little bit. Please read and tell me whether or not I should continue. I would love if you left me a review, but please no flames. Please excuse any grammar errors. Enjoy! **

Chapter 1

"Rise and shine, Miss Hockley," My maid Sarah proclaimed as she nudged me on the shoulder. I didn't move. The awful night of sleep I had provoked me to stay under the comfort of the soft silk sheets of my grand hotel suite.

"Miss Hockley?"

"Leave me alone, Sarah." I begged.

"But Miss Hockley, you must get up. You know your cousin will be furious if I tell him you refused to get out of bed. You'll be making us all late."

"Late?" I questioned. "Late for what?" Sarah looked at me with confusion.

"To board the Titanic, of course." Sarah replied, with a slight smile. That was when I remembered what was happening. I was to go with my cousin, Cal, and his fiancée Rose Dewitt Bukater to America. We would also be traveling with Rose's mother, Ruth. When I left London, my mother promised she would join us in Philadelphia for the wedding. It would be the biggest, most grand wedding the Philadelphia society had seen in nearly 50 years. But for some odd reason, Rose didn't seem too thrilled. Any girl Rose's age would have been thrilled to be marrying a rich man like Cal. Rose and I had become great friends since the instant Cal and Rose announced their engagement, especially during our short trip to Paris. Rose was almost like the sister I never had. She and I shared interests in many similar things. Rose had recently bought paintings from some artist, Picasso I think. She loved them, while Cal, despised them. But I could have cared less about Cal's lack of enthusiasm. I loved the finger paintings just as much as Rose did. But in the past few days as we neared the time to board the Titanic, and return to America, I saw Rose's enthusiasm change. All of a sudden, she seemed to be melancholy. I couldn't blame her. When Cal proposed to her, her mother's approval rang louder in his ears than hers did.

With Sarah's help, I quickly dressed for the occasion. After placing my long dark chocolate brown hair into a formal bun, I chose to wear my cerulean dress with a matching straw hat. It seemed as though the whole world would be watching as we would disembark Southampton, England. This was one of the most exciting things that has ever happened to me in my 18 years on this earth. As Sarah smoothed out the wrinkles in my dress, I realized that my look was complete and that I was ready.

"Well, someone finally woke up." My cousin Cal smirked as I entered the dining room. Cal, Rose, and Mrs. Dewitt Bukater were already waiting for me. Cal flashed a dashing smile, but I couldn't help feeling the bitter sting that his words had left with his rude remark. I believed Cal meant well, but there was… something about it that just wasn't quite right.

"Good morning Anne." Rose whispered as I took my seat at the table. Rose's smile made me forget all about Cal. I caught a glimpse of Rose's outfit. She was dressed in an Ivory; satin dress with purple trimming, and looked beautiful as always. I nodded and smiled. I wanted to say more, but Mrs. Dewitt Bukater's watchful eye rested on my shoulders. Mrs. Dewitt Bukater was as proper as any high society lady was that day. However, it seemed as though she tried too hard. It seemed as though her attitude and manner were not genuine. Mrs. Ruth seemed observe my every move. To her, it seemed as though I had a slight influence on Rose. I did not entirely approve of Cal's marriage to Rose. I had almost hoped that he would marry someone slightly older. But Mrs. Dewitt Bukater had a mission, to get Rose married to the richest man she could find, and fast. And she was going to be certain that nothing or no one was going to get in her way.

The rest of Breakfast was eaten in near silence. Mrs. Dewitt Bukater's watchful eye had all but completely silenced Rose and myself. Only Cal seemed to be in the mood for chatter. For the next half hour, he bantered with us, asking how we slept, were we excited, and other petty topics of interest. Finally, we were ready to leave.

Three cars and their chauffeurs were there to greet us as we left the hotel's lobby, along with Cal's assistant Lovejoy. Although it was not his official job, it seemed as though Lovejoy assumed the role of being Cal's personal guardian. I had first met him when I visited Cal and Uncle Nathan in Pittsburgh when I was 14 years old. He always seemed to be cross and very unpleasant. I disliked him from the moment we met. It always seemed as though he watched Cal like a hawk. Whenever I visited, I received the same gift. Although I considered it to be more like a curse. Perhaps, it was because Uncle Nathan did not want to feel the wrath and anger of my mother if something were to happen to me. My mother was known all around London for having a fiery temper. I knew that anyone who messed with me would regret their decision if my mother ever got a hold of them.

As I began sauntering to one of the cars, I felt the presence of a hand on my shoulder. As I turned around, I was surprised to see that it was Cal. Cal leaned in close and whispered,

"Unfortunately, the awful English folk made a terrible error. We were supposed to have four cars, but we instead only have three, and one must be used for carrying the luggage. You won't find riding with Mrs. Dewitt Bukater, will you Annie?" I stared into his chocolate brown eyes. I hated when he called me Annie, and he knew it. I was eighteen for heaven's sake! Annie was a childish name I greatly disliked. I only still permitted my mother to call me by that juvenile name. I gave Cal a faux smile.

"I guess I do not have a choice, do I?" I replied with a sigh.

"No, no you don't." Cal laughed at my remark. He then took my hand and guided me over to one of the empty cars. Within a few moments, Mrs. Dewitt Bukater joined me in the automobile. I realized that a conversing with Mrs. Ruth would more than likely be repulsive. So for most of the car ride, I kept my hands folded in my lap, and pretended to gaze out the window.

As we were traveling, I caught a glimpse of the magnificent ship. I gasped in awe. She was like a giant trampling Southampton. Steam was already fluttering from her giant funnels. Hundreds of people were running or walking towards the pier. Everyone was dressed in their Sunday's best. It seemed as though ship was almost magical. Her splendor captivated any onlooker's vision. She was a sight no one had ever seen. Never in my life had I traveled in such a gigantic ship as Titanic was. As I glanced at Mrs. Dewitt Bukater, I saw her give a pleasant smile. Even though she tried to conceal it, she was captivated also.

Hundreds of people waited in the inspection line as we pulled up in the cars. The driver honked as simple 3rd class passengers scurried passed us.

"Sir, could you please not be so rude?" I asked. "They were just trying to cross the street." The driver nodded and apologized. We came to stop. The driver opened the door and I stepped out. The beams of the sun, permeated though the huge hat that shaded my delicate face. I peered up towards the Titanic. I felt so small, so minute versus the massive Titanic. I watched the driver open the door of Rose and Cal's automobile. Rose stepped out of the car. Her fiery red hair glistened in the sun. Her bulky maroon hat tipped upward as she stared at the magnificent ship. But surprisingly she astonished by it enormous size. Rose turned around and glanced at Cal, who had just stepped out of the car.

"I don't see what the big deal is about it." Rose remarked. "It doesn't look any bigger than the Mauritania." Cal seemed surprised by her words. I just was exasperated by Rose's remark. I knew she didn't want to go back to America. I could sympathize with her. But couldn't she at least appreciate the splendor of the world's largest moving object? Could she not just once, appreciate its rare beauty? Cal laughed.

"You can be blasé about some things Rose, but not about Titanic. It is almost a hundred feet longer than the Mauritania, and far more luxurious." Cal turned to help Mrs. Dewitt Bukater of the car, when he remarked "Your daughter is far too difficult to impress Ruth." Mrs. Ruth gazed with at the ship with curiosity.

"So, this is the ship they call unsinkable?" Ruth asked.

"It is unsinkable." Cal proclaimed. "God himself could not sink this ship." Suddenly, Cal was caught in a conversation with a man from the White Star Line. I whispered to Rose,

"Cheer up; at least we will be traveling in luxury." I jeered. "Besides, just think, we will be some of the very first passengers on a maiden voyage no one is ever going to forget!" Rose gave me a sad smile. I could not imagine all of the burdens she was carrying on her shoulders. I tried to ease her pain and assuage her anxiousness. But the results seemed nominal.

When Cal returned, he declared, "Well ladies, we best board now, since we will be leaving in a few minutes. He wrapped his arm around Rose and started up the platform. Mrs. Dewitt Bukater followed. Cal then turnaround and looked at me. "Aren't you coming Annie?" I felt dazed, almost as if I was in a dream. I peered towards Cal and replied,

"Can I wait for Lovejoy? I just want to soak it all in." Cal seemed flabbergasted. But nodded and told me he would greet me at the top. I surveyed Rose and Cal's ascent up the platform. Rose looked so mature for her age, so proper. She was the epitome of every high society girl her age. But Rose's observations made it seem as though she was not going to America on the "Ship of Dreams" as everyone call it. But instead, she was boarding a slave ship, taking her to America in chains. I kept admiring the ship. The smell of fresh paint pervaded my senses. To soak it all in, would have taken ages, and I had a meager few moments.

As I patiently waited for Lovejoy, I became slightly distressed. The ship was to embark any minute now, and Lovejoy was nowhere to be found. Suddenly, two young men flew by me. The first one had beautiful dirty-blond hair. Although it seemed as though he hadn't bathed in weeks, there was still something enchanting about him. His companion had dark curly brown hair. From the accent I heard as he was running, I could only surmise that he was an Italian. They dashed by me so fast; I almost could not hear the first one yell out,

"We're riding in high style now! We're a couple of regular swells! We're practically royalty!" As I watched them race towards the 3rd class entrance, I could help but laugh hysterically. The way they seemed to try to fool the officer was hilarious. Lovejoy came up to my side and asked in a stark, cold like manner,

"What could possibly be funny?" Still laughing, I pointed towards the two men. They thought having 3rd class tickets, was like inheriting all of England from the Queen. To my delightful surprise, they actually were allowed to board, which made me laugh only even harder.

"Did you see those men Lovejoy?" I asked "Were they not hilarious?" Lovejoy ignored me and proceeded to extend his arm out to me. Gratefully, I took it, and we began climbing the gangway. Finally, after weeks of sleepless nights, and being super anxious, I boarded the Ship of Dreams. I boarded the Titanic.

**A:N/ So, what do you think? Should I continue? Please leave me a review! It would totally make my day! I would also love it if you would follow my story, or even favorite it! **


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Hi Everyone! I just wanted to say thank you to all who read and reviewed! It really makes my day! I hope you will enjoy the story as much I have enjoyed writing it! Please leave a review and let me know you enjoyed it! But no flames please. Please excuse any grammar errors. Now, I bring to you, chapter two! **

Chapter 2

"Welcome to Titanic, Miss." One of the officers greeted. I slightly curtsied and Lovejoy tipped his hat in acknowledgement. Lovejoy showed one of the stewards my ticket and then proceeded to guide me to my stateroom. Realizing that the ship was about to embark any moment, I pleaded with Lovejoy,

"Oh Lovejoy, could we not see the Titanic off? It would only be a minute out of our way." Lovejoy's feet halted on the floor. His hawk like eyes stared at me. I felt as though they were grinding into my soul. A cold chill swept over me. Perhaps, I should not have made my nominal request.

"Miss Hockley, "He confided. "I do not believe that would be wise. Mr. Hockley is a very impatient man. He would be furious if we do not arrive at the room soon." I nodded and let him continue to escort me to our staterooms.

As we sauntered through the ship, I was in awe. If the Titanic was grand and magnificent on the outside, that was miniscule compared to the splendor of her insides. The architecture and details were breathtaking. The smell of fresh paint permeated my senses. I felt like a child who had just moved from a shack, to a castle. There were so many things to explore. The Mauritania was nothing compared to the Titanic. Luxury encased me. I knew in my heart, I was going to enjoy this voyage.

"Well, there you are!" Cal jeered. "I was afraid we had left you behind in Southampton!" For once, I couldn't help but laugh. But I assured Cal that I was a grown woman, and could take care of myself.

"What is with the Champagne Cal?" I asked. He was beginning to explain to me when one of the stewards entered the room. He came bringing in the luggage we would need for the voyage. As the stewards were unloading, one of them began directing Cal over to our private promenade deck.

"Oh my finger paintings!" Rose exclaimed. I was flabbergasted that Cal even permitted the finger paintings in our stateroom. For once, it seemed as though Rose was please. A cheery smile was painted across her face.

"Do you think we should put some of them up?" Rose's maid, Trudy, asked.

"Yes, we need a little more color in this room." Rose replied. I couldn't agree more. The architecture of the room was splendid. The woodcarvings across the wall encased the walls in gold. I felt like a queen living in a fairytale. But the brown walls need just a ounce of color. I seized my favorite painting and held it up against the wall,

"How about right here?" I inquired. Rose gave me a smile.

"Yes, that's perfect!" She proclaimed. "Set it right there and I'll have Lovejoy put it up."

"Goodness me! Not those finger paintings again!" Cal announced as he returned from our private promenade.. "They certainly were a waste of money." I sighed. Leave it to Cal to be the spoiled egg at any party or occasion. I should have known he wouldn't approve. But Rose graciously put Cal back in his place.

"The difference between Cal's taste in art and mine is that I actually have some." Rose remarked. I placed my hand above mouth to conceal my gigantic grin. "They are fascinating, like almost being in a dream or something."

"Who is the artist?" Trudy inquired.

"Something Picasso." Rose answered. Cal laughed,

"Something Picasso? He'll never amount to anything. Just you wait and see." Rose completely ignored his statement and left to unpack her things in her private stateroom. As Cal poured me a glass of Champagne, I asked,

"Cal, sometimes I don't understand why you have to be so rude." Cal looked at me with surprise, but revealed his flattering smile. The same smile many girls had fallen head over heels for. Cal had many girls under his arm during his twenties. But none of them compare to Rose's beauty. She was gorgeous. Her blazing red hair perfectly complemented her petite, pale face. She was a prize to be won. But Rose's heart was locked deep inside her soul. Rose did not warm up to many people, including men. I felt all that Rose needed was for the right person to come along who had the key. Cal was so naïve. He thought with money and bribery, Rose would cozy up to Cal. But Rose was more than that. Her spirit was unlike any girl I had ever known. I just wished somehow, someway, she could be free and her lock would be opened.

"Annie," Cal replied. "I…"

"Stop that!" I shouted.

"Stop what Annie?"

"Stop calling me Annie." I replied. "I feel like you treat me like I'm…like I am a child. You can't even trust me to find my own way around the ship! Well here some shocking news for you Cal." I pulled him by his collar, so he could look me in the eye. "I am a grown woman. You may be 16 years older than me. But you are not my father, mother, or even my brother. Therefore, you have no authority over me. My name is Anne. And If I were you, I wouldn't forget that anytime soon." I release him from my grip, picked up my suitcases, and walked out of the room."

As I shut the door, I slumped into one of the chairs and sighed. I knew I should not have lost my temper. But I was just so mad at him. But I had to regain my composure and act like a grown woman. If I told Cal I was a grown woman, I might as well start acting like one.

When Titanic arrived in Cherbourg, France, we were getting ready to go to supper. I was dressed in my purple evening attire. Purple was my mother's favorite color, although I much preferred blue. I was fastening my jewelry on, when Cal came into my room. Since then incident that had occurred earlier that day, we hadn't spoken.

"Anne," Cal murmured. I turned around in surprise. It had been forever since I had heard him call me that. I nodded and he began plodding towards me. "I am dreadfully sorry about the incident earlier today, truly I am. You are right. I have no authority over you. And I do trust you and see you as a grown woman. I'll never call you Annie again, unless you want me to. Will you please forgive me?" I looked into his eyes, hoping to discover whether or not he meant it. I believe his actions were sincere, therefore I nodded. "Thank you." He exclaimed. "Anne, the reason I came in here was because I wanted to show you that I do trust you and value our friendship. Not just as cousins, but as friends. To reinforce that statement, I wanted to show you this." He opened the small box he was carrying. When he opened it, it revealed the most gorgeous diamond I had ever seen.

"Good gracious!" I exclaimed. My fingers gingerly stroked its remarkable beauty. "This isn't the…"

"Heart of the Ocean?" Cal interrupted "Why it most certainly is. I bought it for Rose last week. I'm going to present it to her at the gala next week. The great King Louis the XVI wore it himself. What do you think of it?" I was speechless. The deep cobalt hue of the diamond's rare cut was beautifully encased in 15 carat diamonds. It was the most wonderful present anyone could have received.

"It's beautiful!" I replied. "I'm sure she'll love it." Cal smiled,

"Good, I was hoping you'd like it! You know, you seem to be the only one that truly understands Rose. I am envious of that talent that you possess Anne. I keep wishing she would open her heart to me, instead of you." I wanted to tell him it's because she didn't love him, but that would have only added fuel to a raging fire. So I remained silent. Desperately wanting to change the subject, I inquired,

"Are Rose and Mrs. Dewitt Bukater ready for dinner, yet?"

"I am not sure. I was on my way to find out. Would you care to join me?" He extended his arm out to me. After glancing at my maid Sarah to make sure she was finished dressing me, I nodded. Taking his arm, I replied,

"I would be delighted." He smiled, and walked me out the room before we began sauntering down the hallway to where Rose and Mrs. Ruth were residing.

After Mrs. Ruth and Rose were finished getting ready, Cal walked Mrs. Dewitt Bukater down the hall. When we arrived at the elevator, Cal gasped.

"Is something wrong darling?" Rose asked. Cal began searching his pockets. How frivolous and callow could he have been for making such a mistake.

"Forgive me ladies," He begged. "But it seems as though I have forgotten my special cigars. I promised the Colonel and Astor that I would bring them to the smoking room after supper. It would be careless on my part to forget them. Do you mind walking down to supper on your own? I should join you soon enough." Rose and I nodded and told him we would wait for him downstairs. After he was assured, Cal plodded back to his stateroom. As I glanced at Rose, she was exquisite. The cream colored dress with a huge red rose perfectly suited the occasion. Rose had always had a sense of style. Mrs. Ruth looked delightful too. She always dressed in the latest styles. Perhaps, it was to make her high society friends envious of her, keeping her popular among them.

As we stepped out of the elevator, Mrs. Ruth loudly whispered to Rose,

"Don't look now, Rose, but there is Mrs. Margret Brown, although she goes by Molly, which is quite the scandal."

"How can she afford to be in First Class?" Rose asked.

"Her husband recently inherited a railroad company, or so I heard." Mrs. Ruth replied. "She is what you'd call "new money"." Sometimes I just wish I could put Mrs. Dewitt Bukater in her place. She was a lady who wasn't afraid to voice her opinions and disapproval. I then decided to teach Mrs. Dewitt Bukater a lesson. For once, she needed a taste of her own medicine. I sauntered over towards Mrs. Molly.

"Mrs. Margret Brown?" I exclaimed. Mrs. Brown had just set down her bags from arriving on the ship. She turned around in surprise, but greeted me with a jolly smile.

"Please, call me Molly." She replied as we shook hands. "Everybody does. Although I don't think I've met you before. Your name is?"

"Anne," I answered. "Anne Hockley." Molly gasped,

"You don't happen to be related to Nathan Hockley, the Pittsburgh Steel Tycoon, would you?"

"Why actually, yes, yes I am." I retorted. "Nathan Hockley is my uncle."

"No, kidding! Isn't that something. Who are you traveling with?"

"I'm traveling with my cousin, Caledon Hockley, and his fiancée Rose Dewitt Bukater." I replied.

"Well that's wonderful!" She exclaimed. "Well I…"

"There you are Anne!" I turned to see Mrs. Ruth behind me. "It seems like we keep losing you."

"Mrs. Ruth," I uttered. "I would like to introduce you to Mrs. Molly Brown. Molly, this is Mrs. Ruth Dewitt Bukater."  
"Pleasure to make you acquaintance." Molly responded. Mrs. Dewitt glanced at me and scowled. I merely smiled. Ruth extended her hand cautiously.

"Charmed I'm sure." She replied. To turn the conversation off its sour note, I solicited,

"Molly, would you care to join us for dinner tonight?" Mrs. Dewitt Bukater's eyes widened at my suggestion.

"I appreciate the invitation, but I best get my things unpacked." Mrs. Brown motioned one of the stewards to help carry her suitcases up the daunting staircases. As soon as she walked away, she suddenly turned around. "Say, I know what. I'm suppose to meet Mr. Ismay and Mr. Andrews for lunch tomorrow at the La Café' Parisian Restaurant. Why don't you all join us?"

"We would love to!" I proclaimed "Right Mrs. Ruth?" Mrs. Ruth was silent for a moment.

"Come on Ruth," Molly pleaded "You wouldn't turn down an invitation, would you?" Ruth glanced at Rose. But Rose's face was expressionless. You couldn't count on Rose for anything important at this time. It seemed as though she was wallowing in her sorrow and pity. But If I knew Mrs. Ruth, I knew she was not one to turn down anything, especially an invitation.

"No, of course not." Ruth mumbled. On the outside, she kept a cool composure with grace and poise. But on the inside, I could tell she was fuming. All of the bones stuck out of her skinny pale face. I never understood why Mrs. Dewitt Bukater greatly disliked Molly. Perhaps, it was that Molly had something no other high society woman had, spunk and humor. I

"Well, it's settled then," Molly remarked. "I'll have them set four more places at the table. Good evening Anne, Ruth, and Rose." Molly curtsied and then scurried away to get settled. Rose, realizing her mother was in shock from having her bubble burst, took me by the hand and whispered,

"We had better get going before my mother blows another fuse. Anne, I'm begging you, please don't make my mother angry. She's already mad at me for not being excited about the marriage and my disapproval of Cal. I'm afraid she'll be an unbearable pain for the rest of the voyage if you continue this behavior."

"I'm sorry Rose," I confided. "Really I am. I just felt like if your mother to meet Molly she would see that Molly isn't such a bad person. "  
"I know," Rose replied. "I I know you had good intentions. But mother is just dealing with a lot of burdens right now. Burdens I care not to discuss at the moment." Rose paused and regained her composure. "Let's just forget this ever happened, and enjoy the dinner with our friends, alright?"

"Alright," I retorted. Taking me by the hand, Rose guided us to the dining room.

The dinner on Titanic was one of the most magnificent dinners I had ever had aboard a ship. Everything seemed to melt in my mouth. The conversations we had at the dinner table were uninteresting. That was of course, unless you loved to talk about how you and your fortune were one step closer to being "Masters of the Universe". But throughout the dinner, my eyes kept glancing towards Rose. It seemed as though Rose had tuned out all that was around her. It was almost as if she was locked inside her own little world. She seemed to only pick at her roast duckling. Although, it was not like she had much of a choice. Cal seemed to control almost whatever she ate. He would order something without any regard to like or dislike for it. He only seem to mock her saying "You like that don't you Sweetpea?" Rose would only give him a huge phony grin. But Cal seemed to be too naïve to realize it. Even if he did, he chose to ignore it. Halfway during the meal, Rose ascended from her seat.

"Ladies and gentlemen, you will have to excuse me." She announced. "I am not feeling well, and I have decided to retire to my room for the evening. You have all been great company." With that, she left the room. As she sauntered away, Cal and Mrs. Ruth's faces were full of disbelief. Everyone's chatter increased. I whispered to Cal,

"Let me go talk to her, please." Cal hesitantly agreed. I rose from my seat and excused myself from the table.

From walking up the Grand Staircase and losing my way through the endless halls, it seemed like it took forever to make my way from the dining room, to Rose's stateroom. I lightly knocked on the door.

"Who is it?" Rose inquired.

"It's me, Anne."

"Come in." I opened the door slowly. Rose was sitting on the couch undoing her hair.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"What do you mean, what's wrong?" I sauntered over to her and took a seat.

"I mean what's wrong with you? You weren't yourself at dinner tonight. In fact, you haven't really been yourself for the past several days."

"Nothing is wrong with me." Rose replied.

"I don't believe that. Rose, I want what's best for you. I want you to be happy. Please tell me, let me in to your world. I want to help." Rose took a deep breath and sighed.

"Leave me alone Anne. I just want to be alone right now. I can handle it."

"Rose…"

"Please!" Rose shouted. "Please leave me be." I was exasperated. I was tired of always trying to guess what Rose would be like. Where was the Rose I had dared to even call the sister I never had? I wish I knew, I really wish I knew. I sighed.

"Fine," I grabbed my coat that Trudy had accidentally picked up with Rose's when we had boarded that day. Rose glanced up in surprise.

"Where are you going?"

"For a walk, A nice long walk" I replied in a furious manner. I slammed the door shut. I needed to let off some steam.

The chilly air outside on the deck seemed to slightly assuage my frustrations. I just wanted to help. I could see Rose's anguish written across her face. I wanted her to find solace in me. But I couldn't make it past the barriers and walls of her feelings. Rose was locked deep inside herself, and locked tight. I did not know if Rose would ever be free. Free from the cage of torment she encased herself in. If I couldn't unlock her, then who could?

**A/N: So…What do you think? For all of you Jack lovers, I promise you, Jack is coming! I haven't erased him from the story. I hoped you liked the chapter. Please leave me a nice review. It really makes my day! It would be fantastic if you also favorite or follow my story. I love to know who is really interested in it! I promise to update soon! :) **


	3. Chapter 3

**A:N/ Hi Everyone! I wanted to extend my thanks to all of you who read and reviewed! You guys are amazing! I really hope you like chapter three. Please excuse any grammar errors. When you finish reading it, why not leave me a review? Encouraging reviews are always welcome. I'd also appreciate if you would follow or favorite me. I really would love how many of you are truly enjoying it as much as I am. Well, enough about me. Let's get on with the story! J**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but Anne (but if I am wrong, please let me know.)**

Chapter 3

I could still faintly hear the sound of the musicians playing their instruments as they entertained the passengers. But my mind was far away, in a dream. I was still coping with what had just happened. Why was Rose so stubborn? I just wanted to commiserate with her feelings, enter her world, but I could not.

Despite being on the Ship of Dreams where I had most of my friends, I just wanted to be alone. But I could not seem to find anywhere that was unoccupied. I scrutinized my surroundings. The only place I could find was the third class poop deck. At that moment, I didn't care what class I was in, I just began running. With my legs racing, and my heart pumping, I crashed into the stern of the ship. The horizon was swallowed up in darkness with stars that dotted the sky. I glanced at the bracelet I wore.

The bracelet had been a gift, a gift from Rose. She had convinced Cal to buy it for me in Paris. The diamonds sparkled in the moonlight. They were perfectly mounted to the sterling silver chain. Up until then, it was the most beautiful gift I had ever received. I remember when she had first presented it to me.

"This is to show you, how much I love you." Rose explained. "I hope you will realize that I think of you as a dear friend, maybe even a sister." That night, a smile rarely disappeared from my face. It had been one of the happiest nights of my life. Now, it didn't matter. I didn't think Rose's feelings were a facsimile of mine. At that moment, I fumbled with the chain and undid the bracelet. I was about to end our friendship once and for all. With my hand raised, I was prepared to throw the bracelet in the ocean.

"I wouldn't do that if I were ya." I spun around in surprise. I assumed I was alone, but apparently that was not so.

"What?"

"I just said I wouldn't do that if I were ya. It seems like a nice bracelet." As he came into the light, I realized by his accent he was Irish. He had curly blond hair and the most gorgeous eyes. I guessed he couldn't be more than 25 years old.

"Don't come any closer," I warned him. "I'll throw it, I'll let it go." Despite my warning, the man took another step.

"Did you not hear me? I said not to come any closer." But he took another step.

"Oh for the love of green grass, don't come any closer!" After watching him take another step, my eyes rolled. Suddenly, I felt his warm breath on my soldier.

"You would be wise to leave me alone sir. I can scream very loud." The man laughed.

"Miss, with all due respect, I'm not going to hurt you."

"I don't believe that."

"Fine, I'll prove it." He replied. He took a few steps back and sat down on one of the benches, so that I would not be too uncomfortable. "The name is Tommy, Tommy Ryan." He extended his hand in greeting. I slowly, cautiously moved forward to where he was. With hesitation, I placed my hand into his.

"Anne, Anne Hockley."

"You have a very pretty name, and you're very beautiful."

"Thank you." I replied. I was very flattered. I had heard many men call me beautiful. But there was something that was pure and genuine about him. Something I haven't found in many of the men I was around in the high society.

"So," He uttered. "What are you doing down here on a part of the ship for Third Class?" For a moment, I was speechless. Should I tell the truth? Should I lie?

"To tell you the truth, I was coming to toss this overboard." I opened my hand, to reveal the bracelet I had been clinging to for dear life.

"Good gracious!" Tommy exclaimed. "That would have gone straight to the bottom."

"It still is." I pronounced. I concealed the bracelet back into my hand."

"Come on, you and I both know you won't do that."

"What do you mean? Do not assume you have the authority to tell me what I will and will not do!"

"Please don't do this." He begged. "You'll regret it. Why are you throwing it overboard anyway? "

"It was given to me by a dear friend. But we're not really close friends anymore."

"Aye. Would you care to tell me what happened?" I looked at him. Why was I even doing this? Had I fallen into such a deep pit that only person I could talk to was an Irish man who smelled like he hadn't bathed in days?

"Well, I have a friend. And this friend is going through some tough circumstances. But when I try to encourage her or help her, she won't let me. "

"Well," Tommy mumbled as he took seat on one of the benches. "I may be no expert in how women think, but I do know that women need space."

"How do you know?"

"Well, I did happen to have three sisters and my Ma." He took my hand as he peered into my eyes. "Listen, take my advice. Don't give up on your friend. She's probably going through a rough time. The best thing you can do is to be there for her. I know for me, it helps to know that someone is there for me. Just give her time, she'll come around." I gave him a sad smile. I wanted to believe him, but was it even possible? "Until then, why don't you hold onto that bracelet? You may want it later." I smiled and slipped the bracelet back into my coat pocket. Perhaps Mr. Ryan was right. Maybe I would need it. I sauntered over to the bench he was sitting on.

"Thank you." I whispered.

"For what?"

"For letting me not make a huge mistake."

"You're welcome Miss Hockley."

"I may still get rid of it, but I'll keep it for now." Wanting to change the subject, I asked him, "May I ask why are you going to America?"

"Well, I've heard they need more workers for the new factories opening in Chicago. I figure it is a new opportunity for a new start. It is sounds like a better idea than being a farmer for the rest of my life. Why are you going to America?"

"I'm going to Philadelphia for my cousin's wedding."

"Well that sounds exciting."

"I hope it is. According to my cousin, it is supposed to be the greatest thing to occur in the Philadelphia society in nearly 50 years." I sighed.

"Well, I am sure it will be grand." Tommy replied. Time evaded my senses as I was drawn in by the conversations I shared with Mr. Ryan. We began talking about our early life, where we were from, and if we were enjoying ourselves on the Titanic. As we talked, I realized that Tommy's world was completely different than mine. I was enchanted by the Irish tales he told me about. I did not even mind the cold breeze that danced across my face.

As I was telling a funny story about my years living in England, Tommy took out his pocket watch. From its appearance, the watch seemed very old and worn. It must have been a family heirloom past down from generation, to generation. "Land sakes!" He blurted out. "It is nearly midnight!"

"What?" I shouted. "It could not possibly be." I knew I was in deep trouble if Cal was to find out that I was missing from my stateroom. What would I tell him if he ask me where I had been, or what I had done? I could just say I somehow found my way to the Third Class poop deck and happened to meet a poor Irish man who I talked to for hours, could I?

"Well, it is. I best be going. The lads in my cabin will probably be wandering where in the world I ran off to."

"I should go." I rose from the bench, wrapped my wool coat tightly around my frail structure, and started to saunter off before I turned around. "It was a pleasure to meet you Mr. Ryan. Thank you again." I started to plod away when I heard him shout from behind me,

"Will I have the honor of seeing you again?" I turn around, flabbergasted.

"Yes, I'd like that very much. Let's see, how about right here, after my afternoon tea?"

"That sounds great. Wait… when is afternoon tea?" I couldn't help but giggle. I could not expect a Third Class boy to know when or even what afternoon tea was, especially if he was not an Englishman.

"It starts at about 4 o'clock, but I'll do my best to hurry so we can have time to talk."

"It's settled then."

"After the afternoon tea, right here. Very well. Goodnight Mr. Ryan!"

"Goodnight Anne!" He retorted. I began dashing back towards my stateroom, praying that Cal had not noticed my absence.

Darkness surrounded me as I opened the door to my stateroom. It appeared as though Sarah had gone to bed. I quickly undressed myself and pulled the covers over my head. So, I had had a full day of unthinkable events, but overall and thanks to Mr. Ryan, I was pleased with my very first day on the Titanic.

**A/N: I hope you enjoyed the chapter! This was slightly shorter than my previous chapters, but hopefully they will be longer. I hope you liked the idea of tossing the bracelet. I know a lot of people like to mimic the jumping off the stern like the movie, but I wanted to do something different. Please let me know if you enjoyed the chapter. It really brightens my day! I would also love to see more people follow and favorite my story! It lets me know who's really interested. Well until next time! :)**


	4. Chapter 4

**A:N/ Hi Everyone! I wanted to extend my thanks to all of those who read and reviewed! You guys are the best! I apologize for the slight delay in updating. I've been a little under the weather and have been super busy with schoolwork. I hope you enjoy the chapter! Afterward, please leave me a review. Reviews encourage me to write more and become better. Also, why not favorite or follow this story? It's going to get better as we go along. I know it's a little slow now, but I'm planning on speeding things up. Please excuse any grammar errors. Thanks again to all of my beloved fans! You guys are amazing! Well, enough about me. I now present to you, chapter four! **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but Anne (but if not, please let me know)**

**This chapter is dedicated to my amazing fan FAZYIAN15. May the ship truly ring once more! ;-)**

Chapter 4

"Which outfit would you care to wear to lunch Miss Hockley?" My maid Sarah, asked. I immediately fell from my entranced state. At that moment, what I was going to wear to lunch was the last thing on my mind. All I could think about was _him. _Was I crazy? Never in a million years would I have believed that my mind would be filled with thoughts about a poor Third Class Irishman. What would my mother think? I could not fall in love with this man, I just couldn't. If Cal or Lovejoy were to see me with him, the life I knew would come to an end as I knew it. Should I go meet Tommy after tea? It would be rude if I did not come.

"How about the pink one." I replied.

"Pink is always a lovely color on you Miss Hockley." As Sarah continued to dress me for lunch, I thought about what had occurred earlier at breakfast. Cal had questioned my absence, and for a few moments I froze, what was I to say? I hadn't told anyone of my encounter with Mr. Ryan, not even Rose. By sheer luck, Rose had recovered for me.

"Anne decided to turn in for the night after she and I had a little chat; Right Anne?" Flabbergasted, all I could manage was a nod towards Rose. After Cal had accepted Rose's explanation, he continued bantering with our other friends at the table. When he wasn't looking and Lovejoy's gaze glanced upon the musicians, I mouthed a thank you towards Rose. Perhaps Tommy was right, maybe I would want the bracelet for later.

However, as she whispered her reply, her face stood still. No emotion flowed through her eyes. It pained me to see the façade Rose put on to impress her mother and Cal. I could see the pain she carried. I wanted to help her, but I could not contrive a way to.

When Sarah had finished dressing me, I decided to leave my stateroom early.

"But Miss Hockley, are you not going to wait for Mr. Hockley to escort you to lunch?" Sarah questioned.

"My dear, dear Sarah, one day I hope you will realize that I never have and never will do everything proper." I retorted. Sarah seemed ashamed, but I quickly flashed a smile to ease her worry.

"Don't worry Sarah, everything will turn out fine. Just tell Mr. Hockley and Mrs. Dewitt Bukater that I will join them at lunch shortly. I want to take a small stroll on the ship's promenade first. I won't be long." I closed the door and began sauntering down the hall.

Knowing that I had already explored some of the lower outside deck while meeting Tommy, I decided to go discover the beauty of her upper decks. The rays of sunshine danced across my face. The remnants of fresh paint were still present in the salty air. She was like a floating palace. The ride was so smooth; it almost felt as though we were sailing through the clouds, with the endless horizon before us. As I closed my eyes to soak it all in, my greatest wish was for the Titanic to sail to the ends of the earth.

As I approached the near front of the ship, I could see several of Titanic's officers in their brand new uniforms performing their duties as Captain Smith stood directly in front of me. From behind, it seemed as though he was examining his glorious ship. It had been blazoned that Titanic's maiden voyage would also be Captain Smith's last. For afterward, he was planning on retiring from his 25 years of service with the White Star Line. After examining the ship with pride and joy, I heard Captain Smith cheerfully proclaim,

"Take her to sea Mr. Murdoch. Let's stretch her legs." After First Officer Murdoch replied and went to obey his orders, I sighed. On the other side of the endless horizon was New York City. I didn't want to think about what would happen when the Titanic docked. I would probably never see Tommy again. Perhaps, I could convince my mother to buy us tickets on the Titanic when we would return to England after the wedding. Of course it wouldn't be the same. After all, Tommy wouldn't be there and neither would Cal or Rose. I certainly however would not miss Mrs. Ruth watching my every move or Lovejoy's rudeness. But an old friend once told me to enjoy the moment. That I was certain I could do. As I was daydreaming (which I am very prone to do), I heard someone shout at the top of his lungs,

"I'm the King of the World!" I peered towards the front of the bow. To my surprise, it was the same two men I had seen yesterday. I could not help but laugh. Yesterday, they seemed to think that they were the "Kings of England". Now, they were proclaiming that they were the "Kings of the World".

In a way, I almost envied them. They were so free, able to do whatever they wanted. There were no rules or restrictions. They were free to do most of the things that the high society despised, but what I always wanted to do. Being rich, I could have almost anything I wanted such as dresses and jewelry. But never in my life had I been able to have the thing I wanted most, to do anything I wanted when I pleased. My mother and father were very controlling in my early years. After my father died, my uncle Nathan became a huge influence in my life. He visited often and was just as, or even more controlling than my father was. I could see where Cal controlling manner came from. Cal rarely came with him because he was always attending college at Oxford.

"Miss Hockley?" I spun around. To my surprise, Lovejoy stood before me. My eyes rolled. Somehow, I knew Cal would never let me go out of his sight for too long.

"Yes Lovejoy?"

"I do not mean to intrude, but Mr. Hockley was concerned about your absence when he went to escort you to lunch."

"I told Sarah to tell him I was going for a short stroll."

"Yes she told him that, but he still wanted me to look for you. He was not sure whether or not you were aware that it was lunchtime." I sighed. Despite his apology to me yesterday, it appeared as though Cal was not ready to fully surrender his control over me.

"I was aware." I retorted.

"Well in that case, may I escort you to lunch Miss Hockley?" He extended his hand out to me. Although I wanted to explore the decks a little more, I knew it would be rude to keep everyone else waiting. I nodded and accepted his invitation. As we began walking away, I glanced back towards the bow. The men were still at the bow, enjoying the moment. What I would have given at that moment to be in their place.

"Well, I see that someone decided to show up?" Cal snickered as I entered the room. Café La Parisian was even more beautiful than described. Its careful details and artwork made me feel as though I were at a street side café in Paris.

"Hello Anne! It is so nice to see you again!" Molly greeted.

"It's a pleasure to see you also." I replied.

"Anne, may I introduce you to Mr. Ismay, the owner, and Mr. Andrews."

"It is very nice to meet you both." I replied as I curtsied and shook their hands.

"Same to you." Mr. Ismay exclaimed.

"The pleasure is mine." Mr. Andrews remarked. He pulled the remaining empty chair at the table out and motioned for me to sit. I obeyed and plumped myself in the chair. Immediately a glass of water was poured for me as I took a glimpse of the menu. The descriptions of the savory dishes made my mouth water.

"Now then," Cal continued. "Where were we? Of course, Mr. Ismay was just telling us about all of the wonders and splendors of Titanic."

"Yes," Mr. Ismay replied. "As I was saying, she is the largest the largest man-made object in history. And our master ship builder, Mr. Andrews here, designed her from the keel plates up." Humbled, Mr. Andrews added,

"I may have knocked her together, but the idea was Mr. Ismay's. He envisioned a steamer, so grand in scale, and so luxurious in its appointments that its supremacy would never be challenged, and here she is," he concluded as his fist pounded the table."Willed into solid reality!" As I glanced around the table, everyone seemed entranced by Mr. Ismay and Mr. Andrews, except Rose. She seemed ennui and cared only about what was in her own little world. Despite it not being proper for a woman in public, Rose lit a cigarette and began smoking. Although I outwardly pretended to be listening to Mr. Andrews, my gaze was fixed upon Rose. Keeping her composure, Mrs. Dewitt Bukater whispered to Rose,

"You know I don't like that Rose." But clouds of smoke only greeted her remark. Rose seemed to ignore her mother's statement.

"She knows." Cal retorted as he swiped the cigarette from Rose's lips. Rose was infuriated as Cal snuffed the remaining embers of the cigarette onto a small tray. I almost wanted to smack him. Cal may be Rose's fiancé, but I certainly believed he did not have the authority to obtain full control of Rose's actions. I loved Cal, but I was slowly starting to realize that Rose hated him. Fear paralyzed me. What if Rose didn't marry Cal? It seemed almost impossible for that to happen. But if she did marry Cal, I was terrified that Rose may never be the same again. Would I lose the only person I may ever come close to calling a sister? She may still be alive, but she would never be the same.

The waiter came to our table to take our order. Mr. Ismay told the waiter he wanted the special, and I believe Mr. Andrews wanted roast duckling.

"What would you like Miss?" The waiter asked. After glancing at the menu for a moment, I replied,

"The roasted squab, please."

"Yes ma'am." He recited as he wrote down what I wanted. Before the waiter had a chance to ask what Cal wanted, Cal interrupted,

"We'll both have the lamb (pointing one of his fingers towards Rose), rare, with very little mint sauce. You like lamb don't you sweetpea?" From the look of Rose's eyes, lamb was the last thing she had wanted. But she flash him one of her now usual faux smiles. Cal was a fool if he hadn't noticed yet her silent anger. Rose could usually keep her tongue under control, but it seemed as though she was about to boil over.

"You gonna cut her meat for her too there Cal?" Molly chuckled. I could help but conceal my huge smile. Mr. Andrew's and Mr. Ismay seemed to share my enthusiasm, while Cal and Ruth stood there shocked at her statement. "So who thought of the name Titanic? Was it you Bruce?" Molly questioned as she seemed to not have noticed the effect her earlier statement had caused.

"Yes, actually." Mr. Ismay replied. "I wanted to convey sheer size, and size means stability, luxury, and above all, strength." I was enticed, but Rose out of everyone appeared the most uninterested and annoyed with the conversation.

"Have you heard of Dr. Freud, Mr. Ismay? His ideas about the male preoccupation with size might be of particular interest to you." I knew what she meant right away, and so did Mrs. Ruth. Mortified and embarrassed, Mrs. Ruth whispered to Rose,

"What's gotten into you?"

"Excuse me," Rose muttered as she rose from her seat and shuffled quickly out of the room. Without thought I scurried after her, leaving Cal and everyone else at the table.

The salty air brushed against my soft curly brown hair as I searched for Rose. I found her on the promenade deck at almost the same place I was standing earlier that day.

"Rose?" But there was no response. As I sauntered closer to her, I realized she seemed to be staring at someone. My gaze found hers staring at one of the men I saw at the bow! Of course, I realized, any man would be attracted to Rose. But peering at his cerulean eyes made me realize he was not like any other man. He seemed to have genuine concern and care for Rose. Of course, what left me speechless, was who was standing right next to him. There leaning on the rail with a cigarette in his hand was Tommy Ryan.

I waved for a brief moment and he returned the gesture before pointing me out to his friends. But the blond-haired boy just kept staring at Rose. That was, until Cal found us.

"There you to are!" Cal shouted. "I've been looking all over for you. Come along now, lunch is just about ready! I know you too have an appetite." Rose hesitantly obeyed and took his arm as he guided us back to lunch.

The lunch was excellent and Mr. Ismay, Mr. Andrews, and Molly were great company. Now that lunch was over, my attention returned to my thoughts of Tommy Ryan. I almost couldn't wait to see him. Not because I loved him, but because I was anxious to know the identity of the two men he had been talking to.

Afternoon tea could not have come sooner. I, along with Mrs. Ruth and Rose had tea with The Countess of Rothes and Lady Duff Gordon. No matter how hard I tried, I could not seem to focus on the inconsequential chatter. All I can remember is Mrs. Ruth going over all of the details of Rose's wedding to everyone at the table, as she did a hundred times before. I could almost reverberate every word. She'd start out with how Rose and Cal met, their courtship, and engagement before going over the elaborate details about the wedding. Their banter dulled my senses as I estimated the best time to slip out to go and meet Tommy. After I gulped the rest of my tea and finished my plate of scones, I excused myself from the table.

"Leaving us so soon, Anne?" Mrs. Ruth asked with a curious look in her eyes. I gulped and tried to hide my uneasiness.

"Why yes," I retorted. "I do believe I am in need of some fresh air. Ladies," I mumbled as I curtsied before them. I quickly plodded out of the room as to not Mrs. Ruth anymore time to ask me questions.

The sun was slowly beginning to descend as I made my way to the poop deck. I warily made sure that no one was watching as I opened the Third Class gate. _This is absurd_, I to myself. Never in my life had I known any First Class passenger freely decide to go down to Third Class. In the high society, it was almost expected for Third Class passenger to try and get a glimpse of First Class, but it was never the other way around.

It was a nice afternoon. There was a slight warmth in the air with a cool breeze, A perfect day for a stroll. As my foot graced the bottom step, I saw him.

"Hello Anne!" He greeted with a jolly smile as his hand waved through the air.

"Hello Mr. Ryan!" I replied.

"Anne, for goodness sake, I don't think I can stand another minute of you calling me "Mr. Ryan"."

"Sorry, Tommy. I guess it's a habit of mine."

"That's quite alright Anne. How are you this afternoon?"

"I am quite well, thank you."

"Shall we go for a stroll?" He asked me. I was willing to, but there was something I had to ask him first.

"Tommy, who were those two men you were talking to earlier?"

"What?" He asked. Embarrassed, I almost decided to forget the matter all together, but my curiosity was getting the better of me.

"The two men I saw you talking to around lunch, when I was waving at you earlier."

"Oh yes, now I remember. Jack and Fabrizio! I think there down in the general room. Would like to meet them?" I was speechless. Now, I would finally get to meet those hilarious yet charming men I had seen over the past couple of days.

"I would love to!"

"Well then, let's go!" He took my hand and led me down towards the general room.

When we arrived, I was met with several stares. But Tommy did not seem to be perturbed he led me on towards a corner of the room. He sat me on the end of a bench and told me,

"I'll be right back, stay here." I nodded and he left the room to look for the men. My shoulders became tense as the hairs on my back stood straight up. After hearing so many rumors from my rich friends, I was afraid that someone would attack me, but most people went back to minding their own business. I sighed and began to relax when a young girl came up to me. She softly tap my arm.

"You're very pretty." I felt myself blushing. She was so sincere and adorable. She reminded me of niece back in England. As I examined her, she looked like nearly everyone else in the room. A pretty plaid bow held her dark brown hair back. She look so precious.

"Why, thank you." I replied.

"My name is Cora." She smiled.

"Well, hello Cora. My name is Anne. You happen to be very pretty also."

"Thank you Miss Anne." She replied.

"Cora, are you exasperating this fine young lady?" I peered up to see the blond-haired man towering over us. Although I expected him to be angry, he was the exactly the opposite. He chuckled and rubbed the young girl's hair.

"She was doing nothing of the sort." I retorted with a smile. "She happened to be complementing me."

"Was that what you were doing Cora?" He managed to give me a wink, which made me understand his scheme. I did my best to conceal the huge grin that was forming on my face.

"It's the truth Uncle Jack, honest." The man's grin grew wider, contagiously infecting the young girl's face and mine. He ushered her over to her awaiting father and ran off. All the while, I slid over to allow him some space to sit down. He plopped down with his gaze fixed upon the little girl.

"She's precious isn't she?" He whispered.

"Very," I replied.

"I only met her yesterday, now she's already calling me an uncle."I laughed hysterically. Surprisingly, he did also,

"How sweet! She reminds me so much of my niece back home."

"Where are you from?" He asked.

"England." I replied. "How about you?"

"Wisconsin."

"You must be very excited to be going back."

"I am. I haven't been home in a few years." Before we could continue more, Tommy came around the corner.

"There you are!" I've been looking all over this massive ship for the lot of you. I can see you've already met." The man and I laughed.

"What's so funny?" Tommy asked looking awfully confused.

"Actually I don't even know her name." The man replied.

"Oh, where are my manners? My name is Anne, Anne Hockley." I extended my hand in greeting. He stood silent for a brief moment before placing his hand into mine.

"My name is Jack. Jack Dawson."

**A:N/ So what do you think? Yay! I finally got Jack in there! I apologize for this being an extremely long chapter, but I just could not find a place to end that I was happy with. I am so excited to write the coming chapters. If you enjoyed the chapter or have been enjoying my story, why not leave me a review? Encouraging reviews are always welcome. Also, please follow or favorite me. I just love to see who is all interested and enjoying it as much as I am. The next chapter will hopefully be up soon! So, until next time! **


	5. Chapter 5

**A:N/ Hi Everyone! I wanted to extend my thanks to all of those who read and reviewed! You guys are amazing! I hope you enjoy the chapter. After you read it, why not leave me a review? Reviews always encourage me. Also, I would love it if you favorite or follow my story. Well enough about me, I present to you, chapter five!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but Anne.**

**This chapter is dedicated to my favorite author M.B Anchor **

Chapter 5

"It's a pleasure to meet you Jack." I smiled. There was something so charming about him. He was so gentle and kind. He seemed to be unlike any other man I had known.

"Same to you Anne." He replied. "I don't mean to be rude, but I just have know. What are you doing down in Third Class?" I peered towards Tommy who was standing over us. He winked at me to assuage my uneasiness.

"Well, you see, I met Tommy last night up on the poop deck. And we got into a long conversation that lasted until nearly midnight." He laughed and looked up at Tommy.

"You, talking that long without a smoke?" Tommy shamefully nodded, making Jack and I laugh even harder.

"Hey Jack," Tommy interrupted. "Have you seen Fabrizio? I couldn't find him anywhere. I wanted Anne to meet him also." Jack grinned as his index finger pointed over to a bench. Fabrizio kissed a blond-haired girl repeatedly, as his gaze was solely fixed upon her.

"He hasn't been able to keep his hands off of her since we met her at lunch." Both Tommy and I chuckled.

"They are so beautiful together. Is she from America?" I asked.

"I don't think so. She sounded like she was talking in Swedish or Norwegian at lunch. Not a lot of folks are from America down here. Most of them are going to America to start a new life."

"I'm just surprised he can communicate with the lass." Tommy joked.

"So am I." Jack replied.

"Do you guys want to take a stroll?" Tommy asked.

"I'd rather not." I retorted. "If Cal saw me down here in Third Class, I would be in big trouble."

"You should be fine down here. This place is so packed; it's hard to find anyone in this crowd." Jack assured me.

"You think it's packed now, you try being down here during the parties." Tommy remarked. I looked at him with confusion.

"What parties?"

"Last night there was an Irish dancing party down here. I've heard there is going to be another one tonight. You should come!"

"Thank you for the invitation Tommy. But I almost got in trouble last night for being out so late. I couldn't risk Cal noticing my absence two nights in a row."

"Who's Cal." Jack inquired.

"He is my cousin who I am travelling with to America." Jack acknowledged my comment, but Tommy still pleaded.

"Anne, you've got to come. It will be the most fun you'll have in years." In my mind, I seriously doubted that. But he was so sincere. Maybe Tommy was right. He certainly had been about the bracelet. This may be my only chance to do something that _I _wanted to do.

"You know he's right Anne." Jack agreed. "You shouldn't be afraid of Cal or anyone else for that matter. No one should control your thoughts and actions but you." As I peered into both of their eyes. I knew there was no way I was going to win this battle. Valiantly, I made one last attempt.

"Even if I did go, I don't know how to dance."

"Well, there is never a better time to learn." Tommy replied. "Besides, I can teach ya." I looked up at him in surprise.

"You, teach me how to dance?" Even Jack looked slightly confused. From his appearance and character, Tommy was the last person on earth who I would have thought wanted to give me a dance lesson.

"Aye. I may not be much of a ballroom dancer, but Irish dancing is in my blood. I've done it ever since I was a small lad who had just learned to walk." Tommy winked at me as his eyes twinkled. I knew at that moment, I stood no chance in this fierce battle.

"Alright, Alright!" I announced, with a smile. "I'll come. I may be late, though." Somehow, I was going to have to figure out how to evade Cal and Lovejoy. All I knew is that this had better be worth it. But a little voice in my head told me that this would be one of the best things that would ever happen to me.

As I dressed for dinner that night, all I could think about was the dancing party. I knew in the back of my mind, my mother would be horrified if she knew what I was about to do. But I didn't to care. Jack was right; no one should control me but myself.

Before I had left the Third Class General Room, Tommy had shown me a few dance steps as Jack watched us. I was so nervous, but Jack's smile reassured me. I took comfort in knowing that Jack had no clue what Irish dancing was either. As Tommy conversed with one of his bunkmates who ran into us, Jack leaned close and whispered into my ear,

"Don't worry about the dancing, just come and have fun. Besides, maybe we'll even show Tommy some good old American dancing." I chuckled. His reassurance eased my anxiousness and worry. Even though I now lived in England, I had been raised in America from birth to the age of 15. So I was well acquainted with many of the traditional American dances.

It pained me to say goodbye to Tommy and Jack as I closed the gate that separated our different classes. But their comments directed to me a few moments earlier eased my aching heart.

"You're gonna have fun tonight. Your first dance is with me." Tommy whispered.

"It was nice meeting you Anne." Jack pronounced. I hugged him and felt his warm embrace. Yesterday, it had seemed impossible that I would learn to call this crazy man my friend, but I already had. I knew I could call Jack and Tommy my true friends. It saddened me that when we disembarked, I would probably never see either of them again. But, I had to seize the moment; I was going to spend as much time with my newly found friends as I could. And it would all begin tonight.

"It was nice meeting you too." I replied as I waved goodbye and closed the gate behind me. I scurried away like a minute child, hoping that dinner would be over soon enough.

As I adorned my black dress, with hints of sapphire blue, I heard a knock on my door.

"Who is it?" I cried.

"It's Cal." He replied. I sighed. I silently prayed that he would not come to say that he had discovered my secret. I held my head high, and tried to act like the high society woman I was raised as.

"Come in." I shouted. The door creaked opened as Sarah fastened my diamond necklace.

"May I say my dear, you look absolutely gorgeous. You could almost pass as my fiancée." Cal snickered. I gave him a faux smile. I loved Cal as a cousin. But he was the last person on earth I would ever agree to marry. Unfortunately, it seemed to almost everyone else besides Rose and myself, that Cal was the perfect gentleman. If only they could see his true colors behind his façade.

"Almost." I joked. Cal laughed and extended his arm out to me. Being proper, I accepted it. We strolled down the hall to where Mrs. Dewitt Bukater and Rose were waiting.

My shoulders tensed as my knuckles tightened in my lap. My uneasiness may it seem like dinner was unbearably long. Rose leaned over and asked,

"Are you alright, Anne?" I swallowed my anxiousness and loosened the death grip of my hands. For a moment, I was surprised, but grateful for Rose's concern.

"I'm fine."

"Are you sure?" I wondered whether I should tell her the truth. But if I told her, I could risk her telling Cal. I trusted Rose, but I was for certain she would never approve of my behavior. Not from the looks of the way she was raised.

"I just have a lot on my mind right now." I replied. Rose nodded and continued eating. The endless chatter I heard exasperated me beyond measure.

"Anne?" I looked up to see Mrs. Lady Duff Gordon staring at me.

"Yes?" I choked.

"I asked you how your mother was." Time stood still, I could scarcely breathe. Why was I this nervous? I attempted to regain my composure.

"She is doing well. She is thrilled about the wedding. Her ship leaves next Wednesday."

"How's your life in England? I hear you are interested in attending college?" She questioned. I took sip from my glass of Champagne to soothe my dry, tongue tied mouth.

"It is quite nice living in England, although, I do miss America. As for your other question, yes, I am interested in attending college. I don't want to be a spoiled wife who is only good for her looks. I want to do something that is helpful and creative. Some sort of degree I could use later in life." Everyone's wide eyes gazed at me. I felt like I almost wanted to curl into a little ball. In the high society, most women never needed to get an education. They could just marry into it. But I did not want to be dependent on anyone but myself. Molly tried to break the ice and change the subject.

"So, have any of you gone to try those Turkish Baths? They sure can create a lot of steam in places you didn't think had any." Almost the entire table erupted into a roar of laughter. I was grateful for Molly's quick thinking. She was someone I could truly call a friend.

When we had finished dinner, Cal escorted Rose, Mrs. Ruth, and I back to our staterooms. Afterwards, he planned on joining the other gentlemen at our table for a brandy and a game of cards. As he dropped me off at my stateroom he asked,

"Shall I come back for a chat later?"

"Not tonight Cal, please. I am very tired, and have a lot on my mind. I would appreciate it if you honored my request." He seemed slightly deterred. But never the less, he nodded and kissed my hand.

"Goodnight Anne. I hope you have a pleasant evening and a restful night of sleep."

"Thank you, Cal." I replied. He sauntered out of the room and continued to escort Rose and Mrs. Ruth to their staterooms. Sarah closed the door behind him as I lounged on my bed.

"That will be all for tonight Sarah." I pronounced.

"Pardon?" Sarah questioned.

"I've decided to turn in early. You've had a hard day. Go enjoy yourself for the rest of the evening."

"Thank you Miss." She retorted. I nodded and she collected her few things and made sure the room was tidy before she left. When she did, I waited for a few minutes. My eyes burned holes through the clock on the wall. Finally, when I decided it was safe enough, I stuffed a few pillows under the sheets to make it seem as though somebody was sleeping in my bed. I grabbed my coat and turned out the lights.

Evading Cal and Lovejoy would be hard to do, but I was determined to try. I peeked out the hallway as to assure that no one saw me, as I made my daring attempt. I sauntered over to the elevators at our floor. Thankfully, only the elevator operator was around.

"Where to Miss?" He asked me.

"E-deck." I replied. He gave me a puzzled look.

"Miss?"

"You heard me. I want to go to E-deck." He said no more as he shut the doors and pulled the lever completely down. As we passed each floor, I thought, _well, here goes nothing._

Faint music filled my ears as my feet graced the floor of E-deck. I told the lift operator thank you, and began to follow the sound of the faint music. As I navigated the endless maze of hallways, the music got louder and louder. For me however, it seemed as though I would never find my way. As I peered down the hallway, someone tapped me from behind on the shoulder. For a brief moment, I froze. _Please don't let it be Cal or Lovejoy. Let it be anyone else but them_.

"Hey stranger." I turned around to see a familiar set of cerulean eyes staring at me.

"Jack!" I gasped. "Oh thank goodness it's you. For a moment, I thought you were Cal or Lovejoy." Jack laughed.

"From the way you described him. The last thing Cal should do, is show up down here."

"Perhaps, you're right." I replied. He took my hand and led me towards the other end of the hall."

"Tommy and I were starting to think you'd never show up." He remarked.

"I'm sorry. Dinner ran late, and I had to wait a few minutes in my stateroom."

"That's perfectly fine, Anne. You should have seen Tommy, he's been so nervous and anxious, he looks like a kid the night before Christmas who can't sleep." I laughed.

"Really?"

"Absolutely. But I told him to gulp down a beer or two to calm down."

"It's a wonder that you even know where you're going down here. All of these endless hallways, twists, and turns, they make my head spin."

"Well, you get used it after a day or so." He replied. Soon enough, we found our way into the General Room. Tommy was right about the parties. They certainly could draw a crowd. The music was lively and absolutely breathtaking to hear. It made me want to dance almost immediately.

"Look who I found on my way back here." Jack shouted to Tommy. Tommy turned around and glanced at me.

"Anne! I'm so glad you made it." He hugged me and I returned the gesture.

"It's so loud down here." I shouted. Trying to make sure Tommy and Jack could hear me amongst the racket.

"I know!" Tommy replied. All of a sudden, Cora came up to us.

"Will you dance with me, Uncle Jack?" She begged. With the sweet look of innocence on her face, I couldn't imagine Jack saying no. Thanks to the use of all of her genuine sweetness, Jack gave in.

"Of course." He replied. He took a step back, bowed, and extended his hand. "My lady, may I have this dance." His humor made Cora giggle. Gratefully, she accepted it. Before I knew it, Jack was on the dance floor twirling Cora around in circles. Tommy pulled out a seat for me, and motioned for me to sit.

"Wait here. I'm going to get us some drinks. They only serve cheap beer. Is that alright with you?" He asked.

"That's fine with me." I replied.

"Beer it is then!" He proclaimed. "I'll be right back." He shuffled his way amongst the crowd of people as I watched Jack and Cora dance. Jack was unlike most men I had ever known. He didn't love possessions or money. He loved people. Not just for their outward beauty, but for who they were inside.

The rhythm of the music wheedled smiles from the faces of everyone in the room. This wasn't a party, it was a celebration. A celebration of just being alive, having lungs filled with air, and starting over. The violins and bagpipes that the musicians played, harmonized perfectly. I discovered that I actually enjoyed Irish music. It was upbeat and full of energy. Hands clapped as cheers reverberated throughout the room as the song came to an end. Cora ran off to join her parents as Jack sauntered over towards me.

"Did that Irish bloke leave you again?" Jack joked.

"No, he did not leave me." I laughed. "He happened to be going to fetch us some beers."

"Oh I see," Jack winked. "Well, until then, may I have this dance?" I chuckled.

"Well actually, Tommy wanted to dance with me first." Jack took my hand and pulled me close as he wrapped his arms around me.

"Well, let's go find him." He smiled. "I think I see him over on the other side of the room. Shall we?" I smiled and nodded. With Jack leading, we shuffled across the room.

"Jack, slow down. You know I'm not a good dancer." I heaved as we were dancing.

"You're doing fine. Just go with it. Don't think." His encouragement boosted my confidence. My feet started to pick up the beat. Soon enough we found Tommy.

"Hey, I thought I was supposed to dance with you first." Tommy joked with me. Jack took the beers from his hand.

"You are." Jack remarked. He pushed Tommy towards me before he walked over to the table he and I were at moments before, leaving Tommy and I alone.

"Well, shall we dance?" Tommy asked. He extended his hand out to me, and I joyfully took it.

"I don't see why not." I replied. As we danced, I looked into his gorgeous eyes. He was so charming, so handsome. Despite my attempts to resist, I was falling for Tommy. I loved Jack, but I saw him as my friend. Tommy was handsome, but he was so sincere. I could not help but admire his genuine concern and gentleness.

After giving my best effort to copy Tommy's Irish dancing, I resorted back to shuffling across the room. Tommy was right. Even though I couldn't dance very well, this happened to be the best thing to happen to me in ages. Throughout the night, I went back and forth dancing between Jack and Tommy. I even had the pleasure of meeting Jack's friend Fabrizio.

"It's nice to meet you Anne. You are a beautiful sight for my sore eyes." He complemented in his Italian accent. We chatted for a few moments before he went back to dancing with his Norwegian princess. But before he did, he told me a little bit about her. Her name was Helga, and she was from Norway on her way to a new life in America. I was happy for Fabrizio. Maybe they would leave the ship together hand in hand. I hoped so.

After swallowing two glasses of beer, and dancing for a couple of hours, I decided it was best to return upstairs back to First Class. Tommy agreed to walk me back. As we left the General Room, the sound of the loud cheery music started to fade.

"Thank you for inviting me tonight Tommy, I had a wonderful time." I uttered.

"You're welcome. It was my pleasure Anne." He retorted. I peered towards the sky. The darkness was littered with hundreds of twinkling stars. I had never seen so many in my life.

"Can you believe how many stars are out tonight?" I remarked. Tommy smiled.

"It's incredible."

"Have you ever seen a shooting star Tommy?" I asked.

"Once, and man, it was the prettiest thing I ever seen." He replied. "Since then, I keep missing them."

"Well," I sighed. "Maybe one day, you'll catch one."

"Maybe I will." Tommy retorted as we approached the First Class entrance.

"Goodnight, Tommy." I whispered.

"Goodnight Anne," He replied. "Should we meet after the afternoon tea tomorrow?" I nodded.

"Yes, I'll do my best to be there as soon as I can."

"It's settled then."

"Right, tomorrow afternoon. Goodnight Tommy! Thank you again!"

"You're welcome!" He replied. I waved and quickly scurried back to my stateroom.

When I arrived, I undressed, before sprawling across my bed. Tears flowed from my pale face. Why had I done this to myself? I had tried to deny it and say it wasn't so. But it was true, so very true. We were two totally opposite people, two opposite classes. I tried to tell myself we were just friends, that's what I wanted us to be. But we had become so much more. Despite my best attempts, I was falling for _him. _

I was falling in love with Tommy Ryan.

**A:N/ Well, Tahdah! Chapter 5 is complete! I hoped you enjoyed it. I know this was long. My original intent was to have a shorter chapter, but I got the idea about the party and just decided to go with it! For all of you Rose fans, don't worry. Rose is going to be a main part of the story soon! Right now, I've just been trying to develop Anne's relationships with Tommy and Jack. I hope you are enjoying this story as much as I am writing it. If you liked the chapter, please leave me a review. They really boost my confidence and brighten my day! If you haven't already, I would love for you to follow or favorite this story. It's lets me know who is interested and enjoying the story as much as I am. The next chapter should be posted soon! So until then!**


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